Re: 310: "Community standards"

To: "W. John MacMullen" <macmw@ruby.ils.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: 310: "Community standards"
From: Christopher Gwyn <gwync@ils.unc.edu>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 07:20:31 -0500 (EST)
Cc: INLS310-76 listserv <ils310@listserv.oit.unc.edu>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SOL.3.96.970331165950.7722A-100000@ruby.ils.unc.edu>
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On Mon, 31 Mar 1997, W. John MacMullen wrote:
> but even before the 'Net, the idea of "prevailing
> community standards" seemed like a straw man to me.

	the straw in this is the assumption that people in a specific
locale share a world-view that is sufficiently definable that it can be
reliably distinguished from those of people in other locales. however this
has not been the case in any part of this country for more than a short
interval anywhere. there has always been a diversity of viewpoints in this
country, a fact that was only overlooked because of the excessive power
held by a percentage of the population that mistakenly viewed itself as
one group.
	a better standard would be "respectful of the local communities" -
but then anything that can be ignored by those who don't wish to
participate would be acceptable. (although some people feel that they
can't ignore that someone else might not ignore the "offending
matter"....)

	cheers,
	christopher

Christopher Gwyn
gwync@ruby.ils.unc.edu
5602 Lockridge Rd.
Durham NC 27705-8099 USA

References:

310: "Community standards"

From: "W. John MacMullen" <macmw@ils.unc.edu>

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